Automatic excavating-bucket



1. CORNELOUP.

AUTOMATIC EXCAVATING BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1920 ted July 26, 1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J. CORNELOUP.

AUTOMATIC EXCAVATING BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1?;1920. 1,385,520. Patented uly 26, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig. A.

1. CORNELOUP.

AUTOMATIC EXCAVAT-ING BUCKET. APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1920.

1,385,530, Patented July 26, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

1. CORNELOUP.

AUTOMATIUEXCAVATENG BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, I920.

Patented July- 26, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- JOSEPH- CORNELL-0UP,

. OF PARIS, FRANCE.

AUTOMATIC EXCAVATING-BUCKET.

Application filed May 17,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnrrr CoRNELoUr, residing at 22 Boulevard Pasteur, at Paris, Department of the Seine, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Excavating- Buckets, (for which I have filed an application in France April 17 1919,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic buckets for excavating purposes. Its object is in the first place to -provide a method of construction which does not involve the use of operating bars for the shells of the crane buckets, and this suppression of the bars will overcome certain drawbacks which have been put in evidence in the usual methods of construction, besides affording various advantages as concerns the general size of the apparatus and the facility of operating in certain applications of these devices.

According to this invention,-the supporting members for the bucket shells are guided in horizontal roller paths or guideways, al-i lowing the shells to open freely by their own weight or to be closed under an action which is exerted to this end upon their articulation shaft, without involving the use of an operating bar of any description.

In the buckets in which the halves or shells are operated by means ofbars or rods, these latter will become inclined to a greater degree as the shells become closed, and as the thrust of these bars is such as to oppose the free movement, of the shells, it will often happen that the portion of the plate iron on which the end of the bar is attached to the bucket shell will become torn ofl' under the action of this useless component of stress, which in fact becomes of greater value as the shells close to a greater degree. In the construction which forms the subject of the present invention, the contrary action prevails, and the bucket shells are caused to roll upon a horizontal roller path and are constantly allowed a free motion both for the opening of the shells and the closing thereof under the 'action of the weight and the vertical effects due to the lift of the crane.

Moreover, the suppression ofthe operating bars will allowithe use of construction having a less height; again, the center of gravity of the entire device now comes nearer to the bucket teeth, and the bucket has a less tendency to overturn in cases Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 1y 26 1921,

1920. Serial No. 382,193.

where theearth bankis operated upon at the I slope; on the other hand, this reduction in height and the resulting diminution in general size of the apparatus will afford a considerable advantage as concerns the use of the crane bucket for unloading vessels.

Another object of the invention consists in the use of a spring device which is applicable -not only to the present method of construction, but to all existing systems of crane buckets, for the purpose of attenuating the shocks and avoiding the breakage of chains or of apparatus which occur under certain circumstances, for instance when the crane is lifting theload and the bucket shells are held open by ablock of stone which is caught between them, and then come suddenly shut when the stone is cut through.

The accompanying drawings represent by way of example two embodiments of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 are sectional views showing respectively a cross-section along the line I-I of Fig. 2 and a longitudinal section along the line IIII of Fig. 1, representing a first embodiment of the invention with the use of two cables, one for the suspension of the crane bucket and the other for the operation. of the shells of the bucket; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are diagrams showing-the operation of the bucket at different degrees of opening.

Figs. 6 and 12 relate to a second embodiment of the invention, involving the use of the bucket with a single crane cable, this cable being employed both for the closing operation of the bucket shells and for the movements of hoisting or descent of the bucket. Figs. 6 and 7 are cross-sections relative to the positions of opening and closing ofthe shells. Fig. 8 is a section along the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 6.- Fig. 9 is a side elevation; Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the method of winding the crane cable upon the pulley ofthe bucket, and the auxiliary cable used with the bucket. Fig. 11 represents another method of employing the crane cable without the use of another cable acting as an auxiliary for the bucket; Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic representation of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

The crane bucket which is the subject of the present invention consists essentially in the following disposition: A main frame comprising suitable means for effecting its connection with the suspension cable of the crane and containing rolling Ways or guideways disposed horizontally along each side of the frame for the lateral supporting of the bucket shells; and two shells assembled together at a central axis of articulation, each of the shells being suspended at a lateral point located at a distance from the center, by means of a roller or other suitable member which is mounted upon the corresponding guideway of the main frame and is adapted to travel along the said frame; and means for raising the central axis of articulation of the shells with reference to the lateral supporting guideways, this movement effecting the closing of the bucket.

In the embodiment represented in Figs. 1 and 5, the main frame comprises the cross member 1 carrying the shaft 2 of the suspension cable 3 and also the pulleys 4:, 4c, of

the upper set of the pulley block system used for the hoisting cable 5, and two lateral members 6, 6 characterized by the fact that each of these members terminates in two arms 7 7.

Each of the said bucket shells is articulated about a shaft 18 carried by a lower cross-member 9 which serves to connect these shafts together and also carries the shafts of the lower pulleys 10, 10 composing the pulley block system; the shells are suspended from the arms 7 7 by means of an articulated member comprising a strap 11, 11, and the pairs of rollers 12, 13; 12, 13'. The upper and lower edges of the arms 7, 7 constitute rolling ways for the rollers 12, 12 and 18, 13 respectively.

The method of operating is as follows. By the useof the suspension cable 3, the bucket is supposed to have been let drop upon the Working ground in the full open position, whereupon the rollers will take the position shown in Fig. 3, in which the distance between the axes 12, 12 is at a minimum, the shells having been supported during the fall by the upper rollers 13, 13. But upon arriving on the ground the rollers 12, 12 will on the contrary act to support the weight of'the frame and this will be added to the weight of the shells in order to effect the penetration of the bucket points into the ground. At this time, the cable 5 for hoisting or otherwise operating the shells is put in action. The cross-members 1 and 9 carrying the two sets of pulleys for the pulley block system will come together, and theaxis of articulation 18 will at a given moment be located on the same straight line as the axes 12 (Fig. 4); the distance between these axes will now be at the maximum, and the rollers will allow of a free rolling motion. When in the complete closing position (Fig. 5), the axis 18 is raised with reference to the plane of the rollers 13; the distance between these rollers has now diminished, and the bucket will remain in this closed position while the cable 5 is engaged in hoisting the bucket up to the required height. At this time, the suspension cable 3 will maintain the entire device in the air, while the shell-operating cable 5 is now released and the bucket will again open; the hanging or opening rollers 13 will travel along the guideways; then the bucket is let drop as before andthe operation is continued.

The pulleys constituting the upper set of the pulley block system are not mounted with their axes fixed with reference to the cross-member 1, but are disposed upon a shaft 15 carried by a strap 16, the shaft being adapted to slide freely in a slot 17 in the sides of the cross-member 1. The springs 19 serve to hold the shafts 15 against the upper end of the mortise 17 in each case, these springs 19 being compressed between the top of the strap 16 and a plate 20 disposed upon the upper edges of the cross-member 1. v

This improved method, which is applicable to cranes of all types of construction, is especially advantageous for heavy cranes employed for taking out stone or ores. It frequently happens in fact that a large block of stone will come between the jaws and thus hold these apart during the first stage of the lifting, but under the action of the considerable force which tends to close the bucket shells, it happens that after a short lift the stone is cut through by the sharp edges of the shells which will cause the latter to close up with a heavy shock; the pulley-operated parts of the cable 5 will thus become slack, causing the bucket to fall suddenly through a certain height. But neither the cables nor chains, nor the suspension devices, could hold out for any length of time under this treatment.

In the embodiment represented in Figs. 6 to 12, the method involves the combination of the horizontal rolling way for lateral support of the bucket shells, with an automatic device for holding the articulation shafts of the shells of an already-known type, for the purpose of placing the said shaft under the direct action of the single crane cable, which shaft had been previously separated from this cable, this method being employed in order to be able to lift upon pivots 25 situated upon the same axis, these being carried by a lower frame formed of two lateral members 26, 26 together with a cross-member 27 holding the hook 28. The shells are suspended 'by means of the bars 29, 29 (connecting the sides of each shell) upon the horizontal guideway of the upper frame.

A telescoping tube30, 31 is slidable in the vertical slide 23, 23, the inner part of the said tube being provided with bearings for the shaft 32 mounted with the drum 33 adapted for winding the suspension cable 34. Below this drum, the tubular member 31 is also provided with a movable grooved rod 40 whichacts in conjunction with the hook 28 in order to effect the coupling and the connection of the telescoping member with the lower frame carrying the shaft 25 for the opening of the shells.

Figs. 6 and 8 how the position of coupling the rod 40 to the hook 28. It will be observed that if a suitable device (to be further set forth) is employed to give a quarter turn to the rod 40 upon its axis, the groove in the rod will now let slip the hook 28 and this will allow the lower frame to descend by its own weight in order to effect the opening of the bucket shells which are suspended upon the roller-paths 22, 22 through the medium of the bars 29.

The end 35 of the cable 34 used for the crane is attached in a permanent manner to the cable drum 33, asobserved in Figs. 8 and 10; a roller 36 mounted loose 011 a suitable shaft disposed on the tubular member 31, serves to maintain the cable 34 in the axis of suspension of the device. In this way the tractive effort on the cable 34 will simply have a tendency to rotate the cable drum 33 and its shaft 32; but this tendency to rotate in one direction is counterbalanced by the action of an auxiliary cable 37 which is wound in the opposite sense about the shaft 32 and has one end attached to a fixed point on the upper frame while the other end is attached at 39 to the shaft 32. By referring to the diagram Fig. 10, it will be readily understood that when the crane is operated to pull upon the cable 34, this will cause the rotation of the drum 33 and its shaft 32 about their axis, but this also causes the cable 37 to wind upon the shaft 32, and as this cable is attached to the upper frame, the winding action will tend to bring the lower frame and its shell-opening shaft toward the upper frame carrying the suspension arms for these shells, whence the closing of the latter will be effected.

The action and the maneuver of the device are as follows: The bucket is supposed to be at the top position and open, having just been emptied. The axis 25 of the shell} opening movement is in its lowest position with reference to the upper frame, and the winds at 32 at the same time that the ma-' neuver cable will wind around 33; the sliding portion continues to descend (Fig. 7 shows the end of the movement) until the movable grooved rod 40 encounters the. end of the hook 28; the fiat part of the groove will now slide upon the end of the hook, causing the rod 40 to swing freely until this rod is in position to swing freely in the opposite direction under the action of the counterweight 41, and this will produce the desired coupling. Should the maneuver cable now be drawn upon, this tractive effort will cause the backward rotation of the drum 33 and will therefore cause the winding of the auxiliary cable 37, thus lifting the sliding portion toward the upper frame, carrying with it the lower frame and the rotation shaft of the bucket shells; the bucket will close, and when the shaft 32 has returned to its upper position as shown in Figs. 6, 8 and 9, the bucket is now entirely closed. The maneuver cable continues its tractive effort, and since the telescoping member is now at the end of its stroke and is in the closed position, the cable will lift the entire bucket which will be now closed up. I

The crane carries suspended by a light chain and at a predetermined height, a weight which constitutes a stop piece (shown diagrammatically at 42 in Fig. 9), and the maneuver cable runs along this piece. When the bucket comes up to this weight 42, this latter acts as a stop-piece and is struck by a lever 43 of ring form placed on the cable; this lever turns about a pivot 44 on the telescoping member and through the medium of a traction rod 43 will act upon a lever 46 pivoted at 47 upon the upper frame. This lever 46 in its movement will cause the descent of a pushing rod 48 sliding in a guideway 49 on the upper frame, the end of this rod resting upon the arm 50 of the counterweight 41 mounted on the slotted rod 40; in consequence, the thrust of the lever 43 against the suspended weight 42 will cause the swinging movement of the rod 40 and the latter will be brought into the position shown by the dotted line in Fig. 9; in this position the uncoupling is effected at 28, and as the shells 24 are no longer retained by their suspension bars 29 they will descend under the weight and will at the same time open about their articulation shaft 25, whereupon the bucket will discharge its ratio in which 9 and R are respectively the radii of winding of the cables 37 and 34. A simple method would be to operate, as shown in the diagram Fig. 11, byattaching the end of the cable 34 at a fixed point 35 on the upper frame, with the cable 34 passing simply over a loose pulley 51 mounted upon the telescoping portlon of this upper frame and whose strap or holder carries a hook 52 to effect the coupling with the lower frame by the use of any suitable mechanism.

Fig. 12 represents an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this disposition, the tractive cable 34 lifts a pulley 53 which operates on the middle part of a cable 54 belonging to a pulley block system and running successively upon the pulleys 55 and 56 which constitute the assemblage of a pulley block, these pulleys being disposed respectively upon the upper frame and the telescoping part sliding in this frame and whose lower member 58 carries the member 40 used for coupling with the lower frame. \Vhen the roller 53 is lifted, this has the effect of bringing together the upper frame 21 and the member 58; and should the coupling of the member 40 with the lower frame be carried out, the result will be that the bucket-opening shaft 25 will be raised with reference to the roller paths 22, 22, and the shells will be closed.

In the constructional method shown in Figs. 6 to 9, the auxiliary cable 37 carries a deadening spring 59, and in the form indicated in Fig. 12, the fixed ends of the pul-' ley block cable 54 are provided with the springs 60 according to the method already described.

It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore de' scribed, and these can be modified in any desired manner without departing from the principle of the invention.

Claims:

1. In an automatic crane bucket, a main articulation shaft and means for suspension situated at each side of the saidguideways,

and means whereby the articulation shaft,

can be raised against the action of gravity with reference to the saidguideways for the purpose of closing'the bucket shells.

2. In an automatic crane bucket, an upper frame comprising a crane cable hook, pulleys forming one set of a. pulley block system for the bucket-operating cable, and guideways disposed in approximately horizontal position on each side of the said device, a lower frame containing the shaft upon which the pair of bucket shells is articulated,

which contains the lateral guideways for the lateral suspension 'of the bucket shells, while the other part is slidable vertically in the first mentioned part as far as permitted by a limiting stop-piece and containing suitable means for connection witlrthe main cable as well as coupling means for effecting the coupling with the lower frame as further set forth, a lower frame containing the articulation shaft of the bucket shells and a coupling member cooperating with the corresponding coupling member of the I sliding member of the upper frame for the purpose of effecting the momentary connection between the said sliding member and the lower frame whereby this latter shall be raised with reference to the lateral guideways in order to close the bucket shells.

4. In an automatic crane bucket, the combination of a deadening spring with the crane suspension cable hook and with the bucket shell operating members for the purpose of allowing the momentary displacement of the entire bucket with reference to the crane suspension cable in order to deaden the shocks arising from the'sudden closing of the bucket shells when pieces of material are cut through.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH CORNELOUP. 

